Francis Michael Roche

Frank grew up in Old Lyme, where he graduated from Old Lyme High School in 1954. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he graduated in 1960, with a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture. While attending RISD, he met his soon-to-be wife, Nancy MacVane. They were later married in 1961, in San Francisco. Frank became a licensed and registered architect in 1966, where he eventually became the sole proprietor at the firm of Lindsay Liebig Roche Architects. Frank retired in 2006.

Frank and Nancy became residents of Lyme in1967, where they lived until both of their passings. They had three daughters, Lesley Allene Lowe, Lynn Ellen Roche (deceased) and Suzanne Elizabeth Morelli.

Frank is a former member of the Lyme Planning & Zoning Committee, Conservation Commission and Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Commission. He was also a member of the Democratic Town Committee, the Building Code Board of Appeals, a past president of New London Rotary Club, a past member of Thames Club of New London and a former Justice of the Peace. During his career, Frank designed countless residential homes and commercial buildings in Southeast Connecticut including New London High School, East Lyme High School, multiple training buildings for the U.S. Navy including the Over Water Test Range Facility at New London Sound Lab, Surface Ships Fire Control Building at Newport Naval Base, Submarine Damage Control Building at Groton Submarine Base and the Navigation Trainer Facility at the Coast Guard Academy in New London.

His hobbies included skiing and tennis in his younger years; and he was a present member of Black Hall Golf Club.

Frank is survived by his sister Allene Masters; daughter Lesley Lowe; son-in-law Andy Lowe; daughter Suzanne Morelli; son-in-law Frankie Morelli; niece Julie Hellman; nephew Ted Masters; and beloved cousins, Hoop and Marne Roche, Bill and Jane Roche, Peter and Joan Roche, Laura and Leonard Kelley, Nancy Roche and Susan Scheimreif.

At his request, there will be no services. Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.